Description
These festive cheesecake bars feature a buttery sugar cookie crust, a creamy cheesecake filling, a luscious cherry topping, and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. The perfect dessert for your holiday celebrations!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8.5 ounces Sugar Cookie Mix (dry)
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ½ can cherry pie filling
- ⅓ cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch or 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and coat it with non-stick spray.
- Make the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix and cold butter. Use a pastry blender to mix until it forms a crumbly texture. Set aside about ¾ cup of this mixture. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow it to cool. The crust should be slightly underdone.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Layer: While the crust cools, mix the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and egg in a separate bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust. Spoon the cherry pie filling over the cheesecake layer, ensuring it’s spread evenly.
- Add the Topping: In a small bowl, combine the reserved crumbly cookie mixture with the toasted almonds. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the cherry layer.
- Final Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes if using an 8×8 pan or 45 minutes if using a 9×13 pan, until the top is light golden brown.
- Cool and Store: Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. Store the bars covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For extra crunch, you can add more toasted almonds to the topping or use a different nut of your choice.
- These bars can be made ahead of time, and they taste even better after chilling overnight.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes